CAIRO: Egypt’s military spokesperson on Sunday denied a recent New York Times report claiming that Israeli air forces have conducted air strikes against Daesh targets in North Sinai with Egyptian approval.
Military spokesperson Tamer El-Refaai told Egypt Independent the NYT report claiming that Israel launched air strikes against Daesh stationing points in North Sinai are “inaccurate” and “not credible.”
The NYT report claimed that “unmarked Israeli drones, helicopters and jets” have carried “more than 100” aerial strikes inside Egypt against Daesh “over the past two years”.
It claimed that the airstrikes have been conducted “with the approval of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.”
The spokesperson stressed that the Egyptian army is the only entity carrying out military operations in North Sinai, in cooperation with Egyptian police forces.
He also called on media outlets to “investigate the accuracy of what is being published”.
Egyptian military denies New York Times report on Israeli airstrikes in North Sinai
Egyptian military denies New York Times report on Israeli airstrikes in North Sinai
Turkey's Erdogan hails 2.6bn euro jet deal with Spain
- Under the deal, Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft
ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed an agreement under which Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft, describing it as evidence of Turkey's "pioneering role" in defence and aviation industry.
Under the deal, signed this week, the Spanish Air Force will acquire 30 HURJET aircraft from Turkey in a contract valued at around 2.6 billion euros, according to Turkish officials.
Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey had become a globally recognised player in the defence and aviation sectors.
"Most recently, the agreement we concluded with Spain has confirmed our country's pioneering role in this field," Erdogan said.
He added that the inclusion of HURJET in the inventory of a European Union and NATO member state would further expand Turkey's opportunities in the coming years.
On Tuesday, Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey's defence industry agency, described the agreement as more than a simple aircraft sale.
"This is not merely a training aircraft deal," Gorgun said. "It is a comprehensive package that includes ground systems, simulation systems, maintenance and sustainment services, as well as a cooperation model."
He added that the agreement underscored the deepening of defence industry and high-technology cooperation between Turkey and Spain, noting that the aircraft configuration would be updated over time to meet Spain's specific operational requirements.
Turkey has steadily expanded its defence exports in recent years, including drones that have been sold to multiple countries.
Erdogan said Turkey's defence exports, which stood at $248 million in 2002, had increased nearly 40 fold to reach $9.8 billion in 2025.
